Combined tape and mastic applicator



April 4, 1950 I R. G. AMEs COMBINED TAPE AND MASTIC APPLICATOR 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Q Filed June 2, 1945 HTTOQ/ E vs April 4, 1950 R. G. AMESCOMBINED TAPE AND MASTIC APPLICATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jpne 2, 1945mmvrozc 19055276 flMES HTTOE/VEYSshownzoperativeiyzconnectedwto;a;'pcntabie: mastic'pressureieedingzmeansw Patented Apr. 4, v195) .ZQOMBINEDLTAPE- ANDMASTIC :APPLICATOR Rocert G.' Ames, Bui*1ingame,Calif., as'si'gnor-ofrone ehalfa torGeorgeiwilliams; and one fourtlrto :Staniey z-Amesgbothof BurlingameKCalif. .-"Application.lun'2; 1945;Serial No, 5971345 313Claims.

object-of :my invention is 'to provide ta'combineld tape "and "masticapplicatorwhich "is an improvement 'JOVEI the :Zform 'of my'i-irrvention shown tin v:my Patent No. "2,300,398, issued November1942. "In1'the-patenteddeviceI' show means for-feeding" a tapepast anozzle" where a layermfma'stic is"a-pp]ied-" to" the tape'and'thenmeansfis'provi'ded for'appiying the" tape "with the mastic directly tothe "wail-board. The patent further "shows" a* hand-actuated "mechanismfor severing the' tape so that the device can-be used for applying tapeand mastic to a joint inawaliboardpwhether the joint is" long or short.

TIn the presentform of my invention'I make useof-a*poi'ta'bleihopper'and mastic feeding means i so' thatmasticunderthe de'siredpressurecan be fed to the tape as' required. The" portablemastic feeding means is=shown in my co-pen'dingepplication, Seria1""No.-56'T, 826, T filed December 12', 1944, now Pat'.No22436',783.

In the present tooI I'showameW ty-peof m-u'dfeedin'g nozzle -whichwillapply a layer of "mud or mastic to the tape'ofthede'siredthickness-and6f the desired-cross sectional s-hape =or contour. I furtherprovideari=improved type of tape cutter. The tool also hasa" tape feedin'gmeansWhich-will move the new =section of tape into a *pesitiomat the endof-the tool -to receive a layer of or mastic.

n still furtherrobjectofiimy invention is -to' provide a device of the"type described wvhich -has novel meane for applying-a pressure meniberto the'tape immediately-after the" tape with its layer of mastic hasbeen -=applied #to '-the a Wall. "The pressure member -can' be' changedtoa d sc like member for creasing the' tape atl' itscenter and forforcing the fold' into a-"corner joint when the device :is-use'd forsealing such'a joint. All of the levers Tor-actuating the various"mechanism' are "grouped together "so that the *operator "maymanipulate, any*'one';of fthemfi'readiiy. Trprovide receptacles Z011.both sides of f" the ltoo1"'head for catching :any *excess mastic :and"for preventing this.masticfromidropping onto. the "floor.

i'Oither ,obj ects and advantages Wi11.. appear in the followingspecification; andthe .noveLfeatures of Lthei device will be;particularly; vpointed outv in the appended/claims. I v

y. invention; isii ilustnated int-"the:- accompanying drawingsaforming;1a partuo'fathisa application,

inm-hich: I :Eigunel Lismschematicmiew;of:thezentire device "Figure?is=a iola nview of the "underside of the device;

Figure'S' is a- 'sideelevation of Figure 2;

"Figures' i -'and=35: shoW-'side' and plan vieWs,fre-- spectiveiy; ofthe-tape-feedingmeans;

Figure 6 iilu'strates' the mechanismTor -forcing the tape intoa' cornerjoint;

' Figures 7 and*-'8= show plan arid-side -vie'ws,"respec'tively, of thecutting blade carrier;

Figure 91s a Wiring diagram; @FigurelO is an isometric View of the"cutting bladeand associate *mechanismra nd Figure 11 shows-the pressurebladeforpressing the tape into pos'-ition -immediatelyafter the" tapehas been applied" to :a' flat -Wa11-board"joint. While'I haveshownofflythepreferred formsf my'invention, it 'should 1 be understoodthat various changes or modifications I may "be made within the scope'ofthe appended-"claims without departing from thespiiitandscopeof theinvention.

in carrying :outmy invention, I proVidea tool in whi'ch a -compai'tmentA' is used for'holdinga roll of tape,-"the-'roli 'being iridicated at B."The roilis mounted on a central hub l and ishoused Within thecompartment or container- A. roilr'etaining strip ZT'eXt'ends'diametrically-across the open side 3 of the compartmentrand awing screw 4,: see Figure 12. is inserted through a central opening in"the strip* and enters a" threaded opening'in thehubl. In this way' thetape "rollfis secured in place. 'It-is' obvious that a cover "may beused for ciosing the open 'end' '3'instead of' the st'rip,if desired.

"The compartmentA" communicates with a rectangular-shaped tubeC""throug'h' which the tape 5" passes. f The tube may 'be'of"anyf+1ength7desired and is generallyi'made long enoughrsoithat theoperator can 'stand 'on the 'fiooriof :arroomrarrd tape "a ceilingjoinththelztape being: fedsfromtthe free end oftheitubeiarid appliedto'tthe' jointby a mechanism presently? to "be 'described. The: tube Chas. a 'ha'n'diehti; see :JFigure 2, :that "can the grippedbytheoperator-is'right hand.

Referring to T-Figure 5 3, zit wiiltberiseen that :a

mastic conveying pipeiDsextends' alongthe top' hOSBHlEEiIdiII t05-I8portablezhopper indicatedegenerally at F and to be describedhereinafter. The handle 6 is so placed on the tube that it is convenientfor the operator to grip it with the right hand and to manipulate thevalve 9 with the left. In this way the operator can open and close thevalve 9 at will while still controlling the operation of the tool.

Again referring to Figure 2, it will be seen that the tape passes fromtheopen end III of the tube C into a housing indicated generally at G.Within the housing I dispose a tape feeding means and this is shown indetail in Figures 4 and 5. The tape 5 moves over a metal sheet H, whichis a continuation of one wall of the tube C and the housing G has apartition l2 that parallels the wall H and is spaced therefrom so thatthe tape can pass therebetween. The partition l2 carries parallel guidesl3 and these guides slidably support a carriage M. The partition !2 isslotted between the guides. An L-shaped trigger l5 pivoted at It has apin l1 slidable in the partition slot and designed to be forced into thetape 5 when the trigger is moved forwardly or to the right in Figure 4.The other end. of the trigger is bifurcated at [8 and receives a pin l9which in turn is carried by a rod 20. Figure 2 shows the rod 20pivotally connected to a lever 2| which in turn is pivotally mounted onthe tube C at 22. A spring 23 holds the rod in normally retractedposition. 7

When the lever 2| is swung in a counter-clockwise direction when lookingat Figure 2, the rod 20 will be moved forwardly and this initialmovement will cause the pin H? to swing the trigger about its pivot forforcing the pin l1 into the tape 5. Further movement of the rod in thesame direction will move the carrier [4 along the guides l3 and the pinwill advance the tape toward the free end of the tool. When the lever 2|is released, the spring 23 will return it immediately to startingposition. The initial return movement of the rod 28' will swing thetrigger l5 about its pivot to free the pin I! from the tape and furtherrearward movement of the rod will carry the trigger and pin I1, nowfreed from the tape, back to a new position. Each time the lever 2| ismanually actuated, the tape will be stepwise advanced.

The tape passes to the forward end of the housing G while still beingconfined between the wall H and the partition l2. At the free end of thehousing, I provide a transversely extending knife guide indicatedgenerally at H, see Figure 10. The guide may be of any shape desired andI have shown it channel-shaped and slidably receiving a block 24. Theblock slides in the channel and carries a cutting blade 25 of the shapeshown in Figure 8. The blade 25 has an end 25a extending beyond theblock 24 for a purpose hereinafter described. The blade has an inclinedcutting edge 25b and a niche 26 for receiving a set screw 21. The block21 has an insert 28 with a threaded opening for receiving the screw andin this way the blade is removably secured to the block. New blades maybe substituted for worn'ones.

Figures 2, 7 and .8 showichain sections 29 connected to oppositeen'ds ofthe block 24 and one section is secured to a link'30, see Figure 2,which in turn is pivotally secured at 3| to an L-shaped handle 32. Thehandle slides in a sleeve 33 which is secured to the tube C. The othersection of the chain 29 is connected to a spring 34 and the spring inturn is anchored to the tube C at 35.

A'movement of the handle 32 rearwardly or towards the handle 6 willactuate the chain 29 to move the blade holder 24 transversely from oneend of the channel H to the other. The channel guides the bladetransversely across the tape 5 and the cutting edge 25b will sever thetape. The chain sections 29 pass around rollers 36. The handle 32 canmove the blade to the position shown in Figure 10 and the rear portion25a of the blade will still engage with a portion of the tape end. Assoon as the handle 32 is free, the spring 34 will return the blade toits starting position and since the edge 25a contacts with the free endof the tape 5, this return movement can be made without the bladecrumpling the tape. The operator can actuate the blade at any time hedesires so that any length of tape can be severed from the roll of tape.

It will be seen that parallel cars 31 extend beyond the housing G andthe ears carry a shaft 38 on which are rotatably mounted a pair oftoothed tape applying wheels 39. Between the toothed wheels I mount agrooved wheel 40 for a purpose hereinafter described. The tape as itemerges from between the partition l2 and the wall H passes over aspring blade 4| that bears against the underside of the tape and is forthe purpose of scraping away any mud or mastic that might adhere to thisside of the tape. The tape then passes around a portion of the toothedapplying wheels 39 and Figure 3 shows the tape being applied by thewheels to a wall-board indicated at J.

The tube D has a nozzle end 42 for applying mastic to the side of thetape that will be pressed against the wall-board J. A gate 43, seeFigure 3, is hinged at 44 and has an edge 45 that may be moved toward oraway from the tape 5 by means of an adjusting screw 46. the gate edge 45and the tape 5 determines the thickness of the mastic applied to thetape. Furthermore the edge 45 may be of different shapes so as to give across sectional shape to the layer of mastic of any desired contour.

From the device thus far described, it will be apparent that the tapewith the layer of mud or mastic is applied to the wall-board joint bythe toothed wheels 39. It is best now to describe the means for feedingthe mastic under pressure to the pipe D. In Figure 1 I show a portableplatform 41 mounted on caster rollers 48 and the platform carries thehopper shown at 49. The hopper 49 holds a quantity of mastic which maybe sufficient for example for taping all of the wall-board joints in asix-room house. The hopper may be made larger or smaller as desired.

A gear pump 50 is operated by a pulley 5| which in turn is rotated by amotor 52 through the medium of a pulley 53 and a belt 54. The pump 50draws mastic from the hopper 49 through a conduit 55 and forces themastic under pressure through the hose E to the pipe D.

The platform 41 may carry its own source of elec-'. tric current, whichis shown as comprising a stor-. age battery 56,:01' the motor may beconnected to a source or current. The mechanism for turning the motor-'52 on and off as the valve 3 isv opened and closed is shown in myco-pending application and is not'made a part of this case. Furtherdescription need not be given.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, it will be noted that the grooved wheel 40carries an arm 51: that has a circular edge 58. The arm may carrya'disc, which will be described later in connection with Figure 11,'andthis disc takes the place of the arcuate edge. A spring 59'normallyholds;-

The space between" eayeoawae theearmedownsupqnithe!housingQG.rAecabletill isezconnected'zto 1 .thezarm land"; is-ppassedearoundfthsngroovedv wheel i llleandsis;connectedetweannhshapedearmzrlil2ata62.iTheaarmfih slides inaa bearings--63; that carriedlby rtheatubefl. 5Arearward movement of the arm 6| will cause the cable ,i eswingtheearnn51:fontorcingtthecurved edge .58:against-;thetape; 5torafoldingz'theetapeaalong aznmediumldine and for. forcing": thei fold intozla;'cornerijointyloeing,taped; see Figure 6. Eigureallp,

under pressure -to-.the -';pipe:.D throughitheihose E. :They atedil willcontrol thetthickness ofathe mastielayer on the tapesandtalsothel'crossesecti-onal shape of a mastic.

;The .tool is. .movedover a :groove 65,; fomned between .the .twowall-.boardosectionsn66. andolil. In-certainwall-.boardlconstructions,rnopgroove. is .providedaat'theg. joint, andinnthistcaseethe tape and mastic' aresiappliedsidirectlyetoatheg joint'68. The toolmay be'movedlalong;theggrooreirreither direction .desired.-..Usual;ly where. the groove is verticaLgthe .tool is astarted fromithelr'ebottomeof thagrooveaand is movedupwardly. The tapeand masticare. applied tonthergroovel.andethe'z operator may: manipulate the arm 6If. for [moving the pressuregplatez fidw against the tape. slfra cornera joint is :beingi.tapd,;1the; pressuregplate; 64: -isrre-. moved and.thelcurved' edge-5'1 or. a .disc, ..the'- latter-beingclescribed laterin the specification,:-takes the placezot the;:curved:edge :and creasesthe'itape longitudinallyzand iorcesitheifold intolthe roove as shown inFigure 6.

Afteritheuentirergroove has been covered with the mastic and tape, theoperator actuates the handle 32 toseverthe tape. *As the same time thevalve; 9 .is: closed and the motorfizwiszstopped. During the operationof therdevice, ifZEhBI'efiS any excessmmastic, -it ..will.dropinto;receptacles 69 and 16' provided'for' this purpose Before theoperater starts taping another groove, he feeds the-cutend-"of the tapeto the end of. the-tool: by manipulating the lever 2 I. The valve-9*'-ca*1flbe againopened and the-tool usedin the-manner alreadydescribed.

In Figure? I show-a wiringdiagram.somewhat the" same as that'tdisclosedinimyco-pendingi'application.iSerial No. 567,826. iIn this'WiringLidia.- "gram,;'the..motor' 52 is'de'signated'. M andaas'switch'1 his closedywhen the valve'filisopened. .Tmactual ,ipractice thelvalveaarm for the naive .9 twillcopen the switch H when'fthe valve is closed.The closing of the switch connects the battery 56 or other source ofcurrent to a solenoid 12 and the solenoid will close a motor switch [3that connects the motor 52 with the current source 56. So long as thevalve '9is kept open, the motor 52 will operate and will cause the pump50 to deliver mastic under pressure to the device. The closing of thevalve 9 will open the switch II and this will de-energize the solenoid12 and cause the .motoreswitbh =1 132150: open,i:thusestopping iiurltheroperationot the.motonamtpump. iiEnLEieure: 1 IZIL'iIidiCatBSLIhBl-Z arm-Shes. carrying arzdisc "randl'the discisrrotatably securedrtoathe arm at75. In .actual ipractice thearmiflwvill Yeither;thavezarbifurcatedeend". tor-receive. the .disc

14130173: pairzvofnarms" willl-zbe provided andcconnectedtogethenqbytheshaft l'ixthat'ialso; rotatably-supports .thiS\:diSC l4..I.ihave" foundzithatsa rotatablezdisc will: crease or ield the tapemorereadilyz-than a the .arcuate rend of thezzarmi-SI.When-the.:pressure:splate 64.. is used; clips; fidalwill .straddletthe:disc I hand .the'i'pair .iofliarms 1 and frictionally---engage with .therouter surfaces of the two arms 51 so as to hold the plate inzposition.

It. fjST obvionstrlthat: the: handle: 32 :may, beactuatdeelectrically:sozt'that the::operator maywlosethec'switch"torcrcausing vthe cutter to' severzithe ;tape.

iltclaimz v ;1.. -.A* combined;tapexandimastimapplicatorccompial'singaatapezfeedingz. means,';a :masticieeding 'meansnincludingz-amozzleforaapplyin z .alayertof xma'sticzonfthei tape,izanctan: adjustable{gatexassm ciated with the nozzle for varying therdepth-zof thelayer:of:'imastic -;applied to thertape and'for givingza :zdesiredcontour etc :the :crossesectional shapeoofithe'rnastic.

. 2.2.;In :aic ombinedi tape and-mastic: applicatorra tape.guidingutubaixtapes' vfeedingcmeans:zlncluding a carriage-amovable'irr'thefzdirectionzofthe e'length ofiitheztubezaltriggerpivotallymarriedby thescar riage and swingableaaboutzan axis thatzextendssiatrrighieanglesztolthe tube elengthparod' for moving the :carriageninaa'Idirection': tolfeed; thei tape 'beingmivotallyzconnected. to-"the.trigger :-so. that initialz forward rmovement willx rock :the trigger,.aztapeeengag-ingzpini carried 'abyi thei triggeriand engageableiwiththe tape:.durirrgithelnitial.swinging: oftthectnigger, .the further:movementmf l the 'roldzzin the 1' same :Ldirectionrzmoving. the .1carriage andztriggen'to advancei the tape,'r.and-spring:means forreturningthe'rodtoastartingiposition, the initial'returnfizmovementzrofi .hh rrod: swinging the triggerito' freethepinfrom the ta'pe, the remainder of the return movement'movinglthe carriageandztrigger intoanewfz-position.overithe tape.

33.L.In azconibine'ditape;.and2;masticrapplicator, .aitapezguidingtubeztape' feeding';means including acarriageimovable inthetdirectionzofjthe length ofithe tube;:a triggeripivotallycarriedxby;the: carriage and: swingable::about::an"axis zthat extends atrig-htaangles; tolthe tube ilength,'.za: rod. for movingcthecarriagexin'xwdirection to feed the v tape an'dbeinglpivotally:zconnected toaftheiztriggerzso that irritial fortvardmovement -wi1l' rockithettriggen-zatape-engaging pin :carrie'cl: by' thetrigger and engageable with; the. tape v;during.ithei initial swingingofthe trigger, the further. movementyo'f ithe'rro dthe::same.idirectionimovingz the ,earnia'ge :.--ard l1trigger'tto.advanca athe tape, spring means iforrizeturningithez ro'd'i' tostarting-position;

the. iuitialzrreturnsmovement 'ofiithe rod: swinging 'i the t-tr-igger-to free "the "from the '=-tape, tithe remainder of the return movementmoving the carriage and trigger into a new position over the tape, ahandle on the tape tube arranged to be grasped in an operators hand, anda movable handle positioned close to the first-named handle forpermitting the operator to actuate the rod for feeding the tape with thesame hand that grips the first-named handle.

4. In a combined tape and mastic applicator. manually-actuated means forpositively projectplying the tape and mastic to a surface joint,

and means for pressing the tape against the joint immediately afteritsapplication, said lastnamed means forming" a longitudinal fold inthe".

tape for pressing the tape and mastic into a corner joint.

6. In a combined tape and mastic applicator, tape feeding means, meansfor applying a layer of mastic to the tape, means for applying the tapeand mastic to a surface joint, and' means for pressing the tape againstthe joint immediately after its application, a handle for supporting theapplicator, said last-named means including a handle positioned close tothe firstnamed handle so" that the operator can operate the second-namedhandle while still gripping the first handle.

7. In a combined tape and mastic applicator, tape "feeding means, meansfor applying a layer of mastic to the tape, means for applying the tape'and mastic to a'surface joint, atape folding member pivotally carriedby the applicator, and manual means for swinging the member into aposition to fold'the tape along its center and for forcing the fold intoa corner joint. 8. In a combined tape and mastic applicator, tapefeeding means, means for applying a layer of mastic to the tape, meansfor applying the tape and mastic to a surface joint,.a tape folding 9.In a combined tape and mastic applicator,

tape feeding means, means for applying a layer of mastic to the tape,means for applying the tape and mastic to a surface joint, an armpivotally carried by the applicator, a tape pressing member removablycarried-by the arm, and manual means for swinging the arm for pressingthe member against the tape for smoothing it, said pressing member whenremoved from the arm after its application, said last-named meansforming a longitudinal fold in the tape for pressing the tape and masticinto a corner joint, said tape pressing means including a rotatable discfor contacting with the tape to form a crease therein.

11. In a combined tape and mastic applicator, tape feeding meansincluding a member for applying the tape to a wall surface, means forsevering the tape, and means for applying a layer of mastic to the tapebetween the tape-severing means and the member for applying the tape tothe wall surface, so that the mastic will not interfere with thetape-severing means.

12. In a combined tape and mastic applicator, tape feeding meansincluding a member for appilying the tape to a wall surface, means forsevering the tape, and means for applying a layer of mastic to the tapebetween the tape-severing means and the member for applying the tape tothe wall surface so that the mastic will not interfere with thetape-severing means, said tape-severing means including a knife,manually controlled means for moving the knife, a guide for directingthe knife transversely across the tape when the knife is moved, andyielding means for returning the knife after the tape has been cut.

- a member for applying the tape to a wall sur permitting the arm to beswung into contact 1 with the tape, said arm being shaped for forming alongitudinal fold in the tape for pressing it into a corner joint.

10. In a combined tape and mastic applicator,

face, means for severing the tape, and means for applying a layer ofmastic to the tape between the tape-severingmean's and the member forapplying the tape to the wall surface so that the'mastic will notinterfere with the tape-severing means, said tape-severing meansincluding a knife, manually controlled means for moving the knife, aguide for directing the knife transversely across the tape when theknife is moved, and yielding means for returning the knife after thetape has been cut, the manually controlled means including a leverpositioned close to the handle so that the operator can actuate thelever for moving the knife with the same hand that grips the handle.

9 ROBERT G. AMES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date -*381,644 Ries Apr. 24, 18881,161,850 Dixon Nov. 30, 1915 1,510,754 Walvatine Oct. '7, 19241,823,501 Messinger Sept.- 15, 1931 1,838,011 St. Peter Dec. 22, 19311,967,324 Powers July 24, 1934 2,098,159 Peiseler Nov. 2, 1937.2,310,838 Helprin Feb. 9, 1943 2,323,963 Ames July 13, 1943 2,344,372Sikstrom Mar. 1 1, 1944 2,366,674; Petty Jan. 2, l945

